SPOKANE, Wash. -- Mercer's 78-71 win over No. 3 seed Duke in the second round of the NCAA tournament Friday may have broken the internet temporarily, but the parity it symbolized may be permanent.

For Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, it served as a reminder to toss out the numbers that precede a team's name this time of year.

"Parity is at an all-time maximum," Izzo said Friday at the Spartans' NCAA tournament site. "Being a 1-seed used to get you out of the (first) weekend. Now it maybe gets you out of a game.

"Parity is here to stay. It's not changing. When you add in guys leaving early and then at other places guys staying for five years, this is what's going to happen."

No. 4 seed Michigan State will take on No. 12 seed Harvard at approximately 8:40 p.m. ET Saturday night (TV: TNT). The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday, March 28.

"Harvard is not a 12-seed," Izzo said. "It's that way because of how the committee selects. (Harvard) is not going to have a stronger strength of schedule."

The Spartans advanced to the third round with a 93-78 win over No. 13 seed Delaware on Thursday. The Crimson upset No. 5 seed Cincinnati, 61-57.

"Upsets have become the norm," Izzo said. "So I don't call them upsets anymore. It's just survive and advance."